Sat 21 Mar 2009
Can Low Iron Levels Cause Hair Loss?
Category: Causes of Hair Loss , Common Questions , Female Hair Loss , General Hair Loss TopicsI’m trying to determine if I’m balding due to genetics or an iron deficiency. Can hair loss really be caused by a lack of iron in the body?
This question was posed by a hair loss sufferer seeking hair loss help on our hair restoration forum and answered by Dr. Steven Gabel of Hillsboro, OR who is an elite member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians. His professional answer is below.
Iron deficiency is a real cause of hair loss. I have seen several cases of iron deficiency as a causative factor for alopecia in women. When I see women for hair loss, one of the things I investigate, along with other blood tests, is their iron levels. For men, a blood work up is rare, however, if their history and examination are not consistent with androgenetic alopecia, then I will investigate further.
A while back, I went to a lecture about hair loss by an expert dermatologist who specializes in alopecia (she was one of the original physicians in the phase trials for Propecia before it went to market) and she reports that even low iron levels contributes to hair loss. Women do have a higher degree of iron loss because of their monthly cycles, but I think you may want to have your physician work this up.
Steven Gabel, M.D.
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Bill – aka Falceros
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July 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Iron is critical. My wife and I use Therapy-G. She had an iron deficiency and she takes the Therapy-G hair vitamin which contains 100% of the daily value of Iron amongst other vitamins.
P.s. It easy to tell if it has the correct amount of iron in it because it would have to have a child proof cap on it (by Law in USA)